Button-sewing machine



May 4 ,3926, v

R. L. LYONS BUTTON SEWING MACHINE v Patented-May 1926. p

UNITED STATES 1,583,062 PATENT OFFICE.

nonnnr L.

LYONS, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOIRNLIO FREDERICK o'snmt OOIPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BUTTON-SEWING maonmn.

- Application filed February 28, 1924, Serial No. 695,660. Renewed November 20, 1924. 7

To all whom it concern: Be it known that I, ROBERT L. LYONS, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new termined and useful Improvements in Button-Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for sewing on buttons and is more particularly concerned with the means for holding shank or one hole buttons in proper relation to the sewing instrumentalities. By shank or one hole button is meant one which has its attaching stitches passed through its back portion whlch may "be" perforated for the purpose, or may be of material such as cloth flhriough which the needle may-make its own This invention, therefore, provides a construction whereby the button clamp is designed to engage the edges of the button to present the face of the button a proximately parallel to the path of the nee 1e durin its sewing strokes and close to the work p ate. While not restricted to such use this clamp is designed more particularly for use with a single thread-machine in which the thread is knotted at the last stroke of the machine. At the completion of the sewing operation the clamp may be raised from the worktable by the operator to raise the work and break the stitching thread and on a further upward motion of the clamp beyond a predepoint, the upper jaw is given a more rapid movement than the lower to separate the jaws and release the button.

Another feature of the invention resides opin means for urging the button clamp.

against the work plate.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing-sin which- Flgure 1 1s a fragmentary side elevation of a button sewing machine employing the button clamp of this invention.

Figure 2 is front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 3.-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective of the clamp.

Figure 5 represents perspectives at right angles to each other of a shank button.

Figures 6'and 7 are side elevations of" other forms of one hole buttons. H

The subject matter of this invention is wardly extending work table 1 having a work plate 2 on its forward upper face. Above the work table is a housing 3 carried at the forward end of a hollow frame arm 4, the housing 3 enclosing a portion of the needle mechanism, the needle bar being indicated at 5. This needle bar is permitted a lateral as well as a vertical motion so that at alternate strokes it may passthrough the shank of the buttonand the work as will later be described. The frame arm 4 merges at its rear end with a frame post 6 extending upwardly from the work table 1 and adjacent thereto is pivotedv at 7 the rear end of an arm 8. This arm extends forwardly beneath the frame arm 4 and at its forward end it has fixed thereto with capability of longitudinal adjustment a supporting plate 9 of the clamping mechanism. This longitudinal adjustment may be effected by means of bolts 10. threaded in openings 11 in the these bolts being threaded into the member 12.

By these two adjustments the membei 12 me be given an adjustment longitudinally -.an laterally relative to the arm 8. At the lower end of-the member 12 is a forwardly extending base 14 which forms a lower button clamping jaw.

The lower surface of this member 14 is formed to rest on the work plate 2 and in its upper face is formed a depression 15 shaped to receive'the edge of a button of the-type shown, for exaniple, ure 6 at'160 or i catin with this slot 1 extending inwardly to a suflicient distanoe to ali'ne w1th the button hole 18 which extends transversely of the button 16. and throughthe shank rtion 19 thereof when the button is in position, or with-the button hole 161 of the button 160, or forwardly of the rear end of the cloth shank of button 165. Pivoted to one face of the member 12 is a lever 20, the pivot as shown being formed by means of a bolt? 21 passing therethrough epression 15 is a lateral in Figure 5 at 16, Fig- 2 and threaded into the member 12. This lever 20 has its forward end downwardly and inwardly turned as at 22 to form the upper button-engaging jaw of the clamp. Its lower face is formed with a depression 23 to engage the edge of the button and a slot 24 is formed through its edge similar to the slot 17 of the lower clamping member. At the rear end of the lever 20 back of the pivot bolt 21 a notch 23 is formed therein over which may engage the lower end of a spring 25, the opposite end of which is made fast as at 26 to the arm 8. This spring acts to urge the upper clamping jaw 22 toward the lower clamping jaw 14 .to engage a button therebetween on edge in substantially parallel relation to the sewing path of the needle N carried by the needle bar 5-.

The button clamp is normally held down against the work plate 2 and for this purposemechanism shown more clearly in Figure 3 has been provided. This comprises a sleeve 30 fixed to the upper wall of the frame arm 4 and telescoping within this sleeve is the upper end of a tube 31. The lower end of this tube is closed off by means of a plug 32 and is positioned to impinge on the outer end of the arm 8. Threaded through the upper end of the sleeve 30 is an adjusting bolt 33 which preferably is provided with a lock nut 34, this adjusting bolt extending within the upper end of the tube 31. lVithin the tube 31 and bearing at opposite ends on the lower end of the bolt 33 and the upper end of the plug 32 is a coil spring 35. This spring acts to force the tube downwardly and therefore to yieldingly press the outer end of the arm 8 toward the work plate, and

its tension may be adjusted by manipulation.

of the bolt 33.

Means are also provided of any suitable type for raising the clamp from the work so as to raise the work and break the thread. Such means are old and well known, a por- 'tion thereof being shown in the drawings comprising an car 36 made fast to the outer end of the arm 8 to which is attached a lifting chain 37. Commonly this lifting chain is actuated through a suitable connection to a treadle.

Provision is made by which after a predetermined extent of movement of the clamp away from the work table suiiicient to ensure the breaking of the thread, the button is released. As shown this comprises an abutment bar 40 adjustably connected rigidly to the frame arm 4. As shown this connection comprises a screw 41 threaded in the side portion of the frame arm 4 and passing through a slot 42 in the upper end of the bar 40. This bar may be adjusted angularly about the screw 41 or longitudinally hereon as may be desired so that its lower end may be struck by the lever 20 after a predetermined extent of raising of the clamp. The

impingement of the pivot raised further after such impingement has taken place, the rear end of the lever is rocked downwardly relative to the lower clamping jaw so that the outer end of this lever, comprising the upper clamping jaw is moved upwardly at a faster rate than the lower clamping jaw, thus separating the jaws and releasing the button. When the clamp is allowed to descend, the spring 25 returns the upper jaw to its former position in clamping engagement with a button placed between the jaws as shown best in Figure 2. The perforation 18 through the button is positioned vertically so that the needle N may pass through this perforation and through the folded edge of the work shown at W in Figure 2 which is presented adjacent thereto, the needle being moved laterally relatively to the work and button to cause alternate sewing strokes to be made through the work and through the button perforation.

On a single thread machine of the type shown, the last two strokes of the needle are caused'to take place in the same lateral position, this, in a manner well understood in the art, causing the thread to be knotted. The subsequent raising of the button clamp, as hereinbefore described, causes the work and the button to be first raised from the work table and the thread to be broken and the button is then released by the opening of the clamping jaws.

Having thus described anembodiment of this invention itshould be evident that many changes and modifications might be made therein without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claims.

I I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a

V work plate, a button clamp movable toward and from said plate, said button clamp comprising a lower jaw having a recess to receive the edge of a one hole button, a lever pivoted to said lower jaw, the outer end of said lever being formed as an upper jaw cooperating with said lower jaw to clamp the button therebetween, and a fixed abutment against which said lever impinges on the inner side of its pivot as said clamp is moved away from said work plate to a predetermined extent, to release the button .on further movement of said clamp in the same direction.

2. In a machine of the class described, a work'plate, a pivoted arm, a button clamp fixed to said arm and movable by the swinging of said arm about its pivot toward and from said work plate, said clamp comprising a support fixed to said arm and longitudinally adjustable relative thereto, a lower button clamping jaw fixed to said support and adjustable laterally thereof, said jaw being formed to engage the edge of a button, a lever pivoted to said lower jaw and having its outer end formed as an upper clamping jaw, a springvengaging the opposite end of said lever and said arm to press said upper jaw toward .said lower jaw, and an ad ustable fixed abutment with which said lever engages when said clamp is moved to a predetermined distance from said work plate to cause said lever to swing on further movement of said clamp in the same direction in opposition to said spring.

3. In a machine of t e class described, a work plate, a pivoted arm, a button'clamp fixed to said arm and movable by the swinging of said arm about its pivot toward and from said work plate, means to press said clamp toward said work plate, means to move said clam from said work plate in opposition to sai pressing means, said clamp comprising a sup ort fixed to said arm and longitudinally ad ustable relative thereto, a lower button clam ing jaw fixed to said support and adjusta le laterally thereof, said aw being formed to engage the edge of a utton, a lever pivoted to said lower jaw and an adjustable fixed abutment with which said lever enga when said clamp is'inoved to a predetermined distance fromsaid work plate to cause said lever to swing on further movement of said clamp in the same direction in opposition to said spring.

4. In a machine of the class described, a work plate, a pivoted arm, a button clamp carrie b said arm to move toward and from sai work plate on the swinging of said arm, means for yieldingly pressing said clam toward said plate comprising a sleeve, a tu telescopically arranged within said sleeve, one end of said tube being closed and bearing on said arm, a screw threaded in said sleeve and extending within the op site end of said tube, and a coil spring within said tube and bearing between the inner end of said screw and the closed end of said tube.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed'my signature.

ROBERT L. LYONS. 

